Monastic Mapping — Economic Networks of the Middle Ages
Context
Monastic Mapping is a personal research project exploring the economic role of monastic institutions during the Middle Ages through data analysis and spatial visualization.
Far from being isolated spiritual centers, monasteries formed dense economic networks — managing land, labor, production, trade, and knowledge. This project uses historical data to make those networks visible and to analyze their economic impact across regions and centuries.
Project Type
Personal Research
Historical Data · Economic Insight · Spatial Storytelling
Objectives
- Map the geographic distribution of monastic institutions
- Analyze their role in agricultural, economic, and trade networks
- Identify patterns of land ownership, production, and influence
- Reveal long-term economic structures through spatial and network analysis
Data
The project draws on historical sources such as:
- Monastic foundation records and cartularies
- Land ownership and donation archives
- Agricultural production references
- Trade routes and regional economic data
- Chronological information (founding, expansion, dissolution)
All sources were digitized, structured, and harmonized to enable cross-regional and temporal analysis.
Approach
1. Historical Structuring
Primary and secondary historical sources were transformed into structured datasets, respecting uncertainty, gaps, and contested interpretations inherent to medieval records.
2. Data Modeling + Spatial Analysis
A data model was designed to connect:
- Monasteries and their dependencies
- Land holdings and production types
- Geographic location and regional economies
- Temporal evolution of monastic networks
GIS techniques and network analysis were used to study economic reach and connectivity.
3. Visualization + Interpretation
Visualizations were developed to support interpretation:
- Maps of monastic density and expansion
- Network graphs of economic and institutional links
- Temporal views of growth and decline
- Comparative regional analyses
Selected Visual Explorations
Selected visuals from the project.
(Replace image paths with your actual outputs.)
Key Insights
- Monasteries functioned as economic hubs, not isolated enclaves
- Land management and